Workshop Shed

The Manufacturing Rotary Table 'vs' Their Shed Based Cousins

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000Z

Thanks to Martin Power and Robert from Kitagawa Europe, I have another guest blog. Robert looks at rotary tables and how the small manual rotary table you might have for your drill press or milling table compairs with it's bigger brother in the industrial world. For the model engineer, the rotary table would be for cutting curved slots say for an expansion link or rounding the ends of con rods. In industry there is a much wider range of tasks for the rotary table.

The Manufacturing Rotary Table 'vs' Their Shed Based Cousins

Those of you that have converted your shed or garage into a workshop will probably already know what a rotary table is may even have installed one. Even if you haven’t got your own personal workshop; there is a good chance that you have at some time used or at least come into contact with a rotary table. This will most likely have occurred in the school environment when in a Design and Technology class – or similar subject. The rotary table is of course a clamping mechanism that is used in the shaping of metal parts or components, in conjunction with various machines, including lathes, drill presses and milling machines.

In its most basic operation a rotary table is used to hold the object piece firmly in position whilst holes are made in an evenly spaced fashion. The image above shows such a task being carried out on a rotary table which has been mounted on a drill press. There are however much more advanced rotary tables available on the market, which are used in various manufacturing industries.

The photo above shows Kitagawa’s popular GT200 model, which is ideal for heavy machining. The complexity, accuracy and performance levels of such machines make their shed based cousins look like mere toys.

Ensuring safety

The top end rotary tables are commonly used in the manufacture of components that are used in cars, trains, planes and boats. Every time you travel somewhere in a vehicle you will be making use of metal work that has been created by a rotary table. It is of course important that every component of a vehicle is made precisely to ensure the safety of those using it. In order to deliver this precision, computer numerically controlled (CNC) rotary tables are used in the manufacturing world.

Rather than positioning and turning the rotary table manually; a CNC driven model operates using pre-programmed commands which are entered into a control module such as the one above. The rotary table is also able to communicate with the other end of the metalworking machine that holds the shaping tools. As a result both are able to work in unison; bringing precision and safety.

Irregular objects

Whilst rotary tables play a key role in the manufacture of parts in the transport industry, it by no means the extent of their reach. Their usefulness stretches to many other areas of business, from construction to pipe laying. In order to fulfil their role in so many different environments it is important that rotary tables are both adaptable and available in various sizes and configurations.

In the example above we see a rotary table that has a huge through-hole capacity of 345mm. This allows long bar and tube shaped workpieces to be clamped effectively and is ideal for producing pipes to be used to move gas, water and oil. For such tasks, the standard three and four jawed chucks, such as the one below, are not suitable.

Such a clamping solution cannot deliver a suitable torque to hold the piece in place whilst it is being shaped. The result will be that shaping tools will deflect from their target, thus compromising the quality of the final component. Instead a collet chucks as shown below is more suitable for use when manufacturing pipes and bars.

The circular shape of the collet chuck allows pressure to be applied evenly to the outer surface of the workpiece. This allows larger gripping torque to be applied and also reduces the likelihood of surface damage to the workpiece that could otherwise be caused by standard jawed chucks. The clamping pressure is applied by tightening accompanying sleeve over the outside of the collet chuck.

Tilting capabilities

The final main difference between manufacturing rotary tables and those used in schools and hobby workshops centres on the ability to choose tilting options. Standard rotary tables allow for the workpiece to be positioned along 3 axis in relation to the shaping tool. In contrast many models used in manufacturing include a manual or CNC tilting device that enables the workpiece to be positioned on a 4th and 5th axis. The image below shows a rotary table with tilting capabilities being use alongside a drill press.

As you can see, the machining tool is now able to approach the workpiece from different angles than would otherwise be possible. This allows for more much complex items to be produced, such as flute shaped ones.

Many thanks to Robert at Kitagawa Europe.

Additional references:

1/14th scale rotary table for a miniature bridgeport
Example of a rotary table from a kit

Castings and kits
College Engineering
Hemmingway Kits
Lautard
Division Master

What to Look for in a CAD System

2012-01-13T12:00:00.000Z

When you are just making stuff for yourself it's fine to just sketch things out on a pad and make them. However, if you are working with others it is good to have proper drawings that you can share and discuss. I have also used a 3d Graphics program to visualise some of my projects.

This year I'm looking at getting back in practice with using a CAD system so I can draw up some of my projects. I did have several weeks training with Dowty back in the 1990s on manual drafting and a little time was spent with their DOS based Autocad system but things have changed a bit since then. So I asked the CAD Expert Paul Tracey what his recomendations were.

What to Look for in a CAD System.

At the risk of stating the blatantly obvious, any CAD System is just a tool. So you need the one that’s right for you, normally not the most expensive or complicated. A hammer is a hammer, but I’m sure we all have several different ones in our tool box for obvious reasons. So when I’m asked advice concerning the best system for a client, my first question is – What do you need to do? I’m always happy to talk in detail about possibilities, but in terms of general rules, below are some pointers.

2D or 3D?

A lot of people still draw exclusively in 2D, although a young engineer entering the job market is not going to get far if they don’t understand 3D CAD. All modern engineers draw in 3D, once you understand how to do it, then it is easier and faster than 2D. Architects and Interior designers are in the same boat. Why draw three orthographic views when one 3D is quicker and easier to edit. The computer will turn the 3D drawing into orthographic views for you – and sort out your sections.
So 3D is the way forward for most, however I do understand that some want to stay with their 2D, which they understand and feel safe with. For these the choice goes from free, DoubleCAD, up to AutoCAD LT at about £1,200. Considering a rectangle is a rectangle in both packages and they use the same file formats and look the same, I can’t really see any reason for putting your hand in your pocket. There is a professional version of DoubleCAD that will take in 3D drawings and turn them into 2D.
The next stage up is the chap that says that they need to draw in 2D, but would like to get into 3D at some point. For these the choice is easy, TurboCAD Deluxe is inexpensive, enables you to do anything you’d want in 2D, but also has plenty of 3D functionality. It gives you the chance to learn the principles of drawing in 3D without having to dig deep in your pocket and there’s free training on YouTube and excellent training books available.

Training

Make sure that what you buy has training that you understand and need. Some people like books, some on-line films. Don’t just presume that you’ll work it out, these packages are not intuitive, you’ll need help at the start and when you’ll pulling your hair out because a line refuses to move where you want it to and the job’s got to be finished and sent that day, you need to feel safe that you have back-up. I’ve had people at their wits end call me after spending hours trying to sort something that I resolved for them in a few seconds.
And if you need to enroll on a course of evening classes, ask yourself why you need to take so long to learn it and remember – the bloke teaching the class didn’t want to come out on a winter’s evening either, I know – I’ve done it.

Support

Occasionally some people have technical problems with a computer crashing or unintelligible error messages turning up. Ensure there is someone who will resolve this for you for free. If the people publishing the package want a few hundred quid a year from you in case their software screws up, I’d walk. It’s a bit like the shop wanting you to take out insurance on a brand new washing machine in case it goes wrong – why should it.

Compatibility

Ensure that you package opens and saves in all the main CAD file formats, so DWG, DXF, 3DS, DAE and at least saves in PDF. You’ll at some point want to swap files, so you need to be able to talk these languages.

Lastly

Lastly there is the reality that some people learn quicker than others. For some of us computers came along in mid life, after years of working on a drawing board, for other they have always been around. So be careful that you don’t buy something that is going to be so hard for you to learn that you eventually give up and feel that you’ve wasted your money.
Generally speaking, when interior designers and fitters come to me needing to do planed layouts, but also wanting a 3D representation, then I recommend TurboCAD Deluxe and Google SketchUp Professional, neither cost much, are easy to learn and will produce results at the highest professional standard.
For an engineer I recommend TurboCAD Professional Platinum at less than a thousand pounds including training.

About the Author

Under the guise of PaulTheCAD, Paul Tracey, looks after all aspects of TurboCAD and Google SketchUp in the UK and much of Europe. He is also an artist, having exhibited paintings in capital cities throughout the world.
Paul runs the official distributer networks for these packages ensuring that both resellers and end users have up to date information on the packages, are fully aware of developments and advises on functionality matters. As well as this he runs training courses and writes articles for various magazines. He also organizes specialist help for companies working on projects where their expertise with the software is not fully developed.

www.paulthecad.co.uk
www.paultracey.net
Training films on YouTube at paulthecadtracey.

You can also see Paul later this month at the London Model Engineering Exhibition

Fred Dibnah's World of Steam

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000Z

I received Fred Dibnah's World of Steam as a Christmas present, it's a follow on from the previous magbook "Fred Dibah, The Early Years". The Mag Book is a curious format, it's basically a magazine sized book with a thicker cover, it also has a selection of adverts for other books and DVDs that might be of interest.

The book is in the words of Fred and has been compiled by Paul Donoghue who also writes a great introduction. There is a variety of chapters, starting off Alison, Fred's Aveling and Porter #7632 steam roller. Fred describes the process of restoration and has amusing anecdotes about building the boiler, riveting and dealings with boiler certification and insurance. The book continues on with the next roller project, Aveling and Porter #7838.

In one of my favourite chapters Fred describes the stationary steam engine he uses to power his workshop and the overhead shaft that drives all his machines.

No book on Fred would be complete without a section on steeple jacking and this magbook devotes a chapter to this including some more amusing stories about a cat stuck on the top of a chimney and trouble with the fires Fred used to topple chimneys. This leads on to some of his TV work and discussions with a German TV company make Fred reminisce about his time in Germany on national service and how he managed to get out of peeling potatoes.

Although he enjoyed the TV work it did have drawbacks and fame meant that he got rather more visitors that he liked. It did however mean he had some generous fans, one who provided an old steam roller manual which is included in full in the book.

The penultimate chapter has a short history of the use of steam in the Bolton area, Fred's home town.

The book finishes up with a scrap book full of photos and letters collected over the years.

Don't expect to be able to become a steeplejack or build a steam driven workshop by reading this but do be prepared for an entertaining read in Fred's distinctive style.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Review of the year 2011

2011-12-31T10:26:00.000Z

Due to other commitments, I've not had as much time in the workshop this year as previous years.

However I did complete a couple of projects, in February, I got the magnifiying glass out and assembled a surface mounted tachometer kit and in May got myself a mention in Ikea Hackers with my Portis shortening project. I also managed a tiny amount of welding this year with an experimental venture into build up welding and some metal was ordered for a project early in 2012.

The big project of the year was replacing the shed roof, several months of planning got my materials list as low as I could get it then over a long and hot weekend at the end of September the old roof was stripped off an a new insulated one was put in it's place. It's interesting to see how the frost stays on the roof for quite some time in the morning demonstrating a good thermal mass and insulating properties. Hopefully over the winter I'll have a better idea of how well it's performing.

Whilst not in the workshopshed, I've been travelling about, March saw a trip to the Kew Bridge Steam museum to see the Stirling Rally and some excellent crafts were seen at the Knebworh Country show in the summer. The end of the year saw the model engineering show and although I did not spend as long there as previous years I still saw many interering models. Whilst wantering around London I saw some interesting things and admired the ironwork of St James and Mayfair.

Some of my most popular articles this year were actually provided by others, in February, the chaps at the Mig Welding forum inspired Barry Wood to write me a piece on the history of their company. J and C R Wood make the Metalcraft range of metal forming tools. Later in the year, Marc Van Goozen's Meccano Crane proved very popular with readers.

I managed a few interviews this year, a high tech interview with Australian Space invader builder Victor Coleiro. Wooden Bike and Rammed Earth Expert Michael Thompson told me about his building and bike projects. Blacksmith and Etsy shop team Sam and Melanie from Sams Welding told about the interesting items in their shop. I also wrote a short article for UKToolCentre on wire strippers.

Looking through my keyword searches, there were no surprised like previous years, "how to knurl a bent steel bar" or "train to be a blacksmith in milton keynes" just lots of people looking for "Tig vs Mig", "the salvager" and flowerpot furnaces. There was also a peak in April of people looking for the 1902 State Landau. The reason people were looking for The Salvager was that he brought out a new EZine this year which has proved good reading.

Other things I read this year were "Made Simple Made Easy" by H. Maurice Turnbull, "Trustee from the Toolroom" by Nevil Shute and Ivan Law's workshop practice series #6 "Measuring and Marking Metals". I also reviewed the Axminster Cross vice some Tig welding Gloves and a model engineering dvd.

2011 was an interesting year. When I started writing this review of the year I initially thought that not much had been happening but when you add it all up there were lots of little projects and activities going on. I do have some items planned for 2012, hopefully starting off with some welding to get back in practice and possibly a look at some CAD software. Wishing you all a jolly and productive 2012.

Shed loads of storage

2011-12-16T12:04:00.000Z

Over the last few weeks, I've been sorting through some boxes of decorating kit and the "paint store" chucking out all the old and broken stuff and quarter cans of paint that had turned to jelly. I've managed to free up some space for a welding project I'm planning for a mate. However, throwing stuff out (or giving it away) is not always desirable so I quizzed Drew Davies on the possibility of using self storage.

Workshopshed: When you first think of a self storage, it's moving house or going travelling that springs to mind. How is self storage relevant to someone working out of a shed or in a workshop?

Drew Davis: Self storage is one of those strange industries that doesn't really fit into any niche. We have a lot of people storing personal belongings, but we're actually seeing a shift towards more business and industry-based customers.

For someone working out of their shed or garage, or using a workshop, self storage can become an extension of their workspace; freeing up room for a particular project or as a place to store things during a bigger renovation. If you rarely use some welding equipment, for example, but need to keep it someone safe - you can use a self storage facility to keep it out of sight until its required. And as you take back some of the equipment, you can move to a smaller room that fits your new space requirement.

Workshopshed: How else can it help with a project?

Drew Davis: Self storage could also help with deliveries you don't want clogging up the workspace. Once you've organised your storage unit, the Manager can even sign for the delivery when it arrives (best to check with them first, and make sure your customer name and unit number is clearly marked on the goods). Then you can swing by (the UK now has as many self storage facilities as it does McDonald's restaurants – around 1,200) and pick up what materials you need that week, leaving the rest until it's required.

Workshopshed: You mention moving from a larger to a smaller room. But what about the room itself - how can it be set up? Can things be attached to the walls, for example?

Drew Davis: We have approximately 20 different sized rooms at each of our locations - so a good tip is to ask the Manager to show you several sizes to see which one is the best fit. If you have extra heavy equipment, take into consideration any issues with access (you might not be able to use the lifts for transport, so a room on the ground floor could be the ticket. There are pallet trucks available at each Facility). If you take multiple rooms next to each other, we can remove the partitioning walls to create a bigger space (if both rooms are available). The storage unit is a blank space so can be adapted to your requirements - however, nothing can be attached to the cladding itself.

Workshopshed: Many of the things people might want to store will be metal. Could there be any issues with humidity that might lead to rust?

Drew Davis: The temperature within stores remains fairly constant, notwithstanding the season. Our buildings are modern and well insulated so they're never too hot or cold, and they're obviously very dry, so rust shouldn't be an issue (it pays to check periodically, just to be safe).

Workshopshed: And what about security?

Drew Davis: Security is paramount when it comes to self storage, and one of the big benefits. In the "old days", you might hire a small warehouse, which would usually be a converted office block or barn with very little security.

Our Storage Facilities are purpose built (never converted barns or buildings) and the security features are top notch. As well as 24 hour CCTV, every room is individually alarmed, with electronic gates and perimeter fencing around each Facility. When you sign up for a storage room, you'll be given a unique pin that gives you access to the lifts. Sensors in each room indicate when the rooms are accessed and if they are occupied (so if someone opens your room without having first used the unique pin, an alarm will go off).

Workshopshed: Location is important though too - it's no use storing equipment somewhere safe if its miles away?

Drew Davis: Agreed. We have 74 Storage Facilities (at last count), many in London and the South East of England, but more and more spread across the UK (including Edinburgh, Sheffield, Hull) with locations added each year. Full list of Storage Facilities.

Our stores are often at strategic locations (such as the Staple Corner Facility on the North Circular), which is especially useful for lorry deliveries.

Workshopshed: Do you have any storage tips for engineering or gardening tools?

Drew Davis: If you are planning on storing metal objects, it's a good idea to treat them with rust protector first, or at least wipe them down with an oily rag. You can use the cheapest oil available; it all does the same job.

Before storing your garden tools, scrub off any dirt or mud - if it's really covered in dirt, you may need to soak the tool in a bucket of hot water first. Make sure to wipe off any excess water with an old rag and let it dry thoroughly to prevent any rusting. Treat the wooden areas of your tools by sanding any rough or splintery places with sandpaper and then rubbing it in wax.

Workshopshed: One question from the readers of "Stationary Engine". Because their engines are heavy they would want to put them onto a trailer before going to a show and drive to the show early in the morning. Would the facilities allow them to do that kind of thing?

Drew Davis: Engines are a bit of a grey area because they’d need to be drained of all flammable liquid to be stored, so it might not be viable. The good news is all our stores have access for an articulated lorry and all of them give you free access to trolleys and pallet trucks. There are also forklifts and trained forklift drivers available (at a cost of £5 per load, or if big quantities are involved an agreement can be made with the manager. Prior notice needs to given where possible).

In terms of early morning access, our storage facilities are open at Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 4pm However you can also arrange extended access between 5am - 11pm - for a small additional charge if that's what you need.

Many thanks to Drew and Big Yellow Business Storage

Additional reference:

Tips and tricks - How to make space for your tools
Tips and tricks - Diy around your home
Tips and tricks - How to Organise your Garage

Photos from the Model Engineering Show

2011-12-14T12:00:00.000Z

A selection of photos from the model engineering show at Sandown last weekend. Engines big and small, jet, stationary, marine and traction. There were railway trains, trams, model houses, a fine selection of carriages and wheels from the Guild of Model Wheelwrights. There were some fine Mechano models, clocks and orrey's on show too.
Outside was a steam lorry (with a mini-me version in the club room) and a fine selection of 6in traction engines all steaming away. There were also a few pieces of tooling and equipment, I'll have to enter some of mine one year (once I've finished it).

Top Tip - Camden Miniature Steam Services

2011-12-09T12:00:00.000Z

Whilst purchasing some Christmas presents for the relatives at Camden Miniature Steam Services I spotted an interesting book called "40 Power Tools You Can Make".

One of the previews was for a tip from H. Moore, Leeds, England. Having googled H. Moore, I see that he wrote quite a few tips for Popular Mechanics between 1930 and 1950. He even got a mention in American machinist for his tip "Slotted Sleeve on Mandrel Holds Two Pieces"

Search Google Books for H.Moore Leeds Popular Mechanics

When it is necessary to hold two shafts, one directly above the other, for transfering or marking off drilled holes, the job can be done by using a V-block, a tightening clamp and four short pieces of round rod of slightly less diameter than the shafting. One of the shafts is laid in the V-block, two rods are placed on each side, as indicated in the illustration, and finally the top shaft is laid on these, after which the clamp is screwed down to keep the assembly firmly in position.

A second tip was also included but I suspect it will be less useful...

Nuts and bols that are exposed to the weather by be prevented from rusting by applying a coating of asbestos roofing cememt to the threads of the bolts before tightening the nuts.

More Welding apps for your phone

2011-12-07T12:00:00.001Z

Someone pointed out that there is a special offer on the Android market for apps today, they are priced at just 10p.

I did a quick search for welding and found the following two free apps (so that's 20p saved).

The Miller Weld Calculator provides you with the appropriate parameters for setting your current, gas and weld speed dependant on the type of welding, material and thickness.

Welding free from T2R is a phone based welding simulator, it currently supports just arc welding and is basically a test of weld speed and position. It's an interesting idea but I'm not sure how realistic it is given that you use your finger rather than a welding rod. Once you've completed your weld you then get to chip the slag off with a hammer and brush it down with a wire brush. I'm not sure of you get marked down for using the same brush for different metals?

Shed roof part 3 - Installing the window

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000Z

It had taken me a day's work on my own to strip off the old window. Alan and myself then had installed one side of the roof in just a day. That left me 2 days to get the roof finished by myself. The other side of the roof was simpler in that it was two smaller rectangular sections.

Before I got going with these panels, I measured everything up and to my horror discovered that the polycarbonate sheet was the wrong size. The problem with this sheet is that it has an orientation. The slots need to run down so that if any condensation forms then it will run out the bottom. Some how I'd managed to swap the dimensions before ordering. Luckly there was only 15cm to make up so I cut my cladding longer so sides of the plastic could rest on it. I formed up some more supports by extending the rafters and screwing in a cross piece to support the bottom of the plastic. Once the wood was in place I added the two layers of feld in the same manner as the others.

I used a hacksaw to cut the sheet. You have to take it slow cutting polycarbonate, the plastic rubs against the saw blade heating it up and it can stick and bend as shown below.

Once the window was in place it was secured using a couple of button fixings. These allow the poly-carbonate to move as the temperature changes. For a piece this size it could grow upto 5mm between winter and summer. Around the sides I screwed wood battens over the sheet and then used sealant around the edges. The felt was also sealed with roof and gutter sealant and nailed into the wood. Exposed wood was painted with a wax based wood preservative.

It's rained quite a few times since the roof was put in place and so far it's stayed dry in side. Once the door is closed the inside of the shed rose to a couple of degrees above the outside temperature with just my body heat so I'm optomistic I'll have a warmer winter and won't need the fan heater so often.

The end results are a roof with significantly better thermal characteristic than before with lots of light to the bench. As you can tell from my pictures, I've got a bit of tidying up still to do and the wood inside needs painting.

At the end of the project I ended up with an excess of materials. This was because to get the sizes I needed I had to order the larger sizes and cut peices out of them. So I had some roof felt, OSB and a load of mashed up PVC. The latter I took down the local recycling centre and the others I gave to people on freegle, basically they are too large for me to be keeping in the shed so it's better for them to be put to use. I also had some insulation left over which was cut up and glued to my loft hatch to provide some insulation over the winter. The offcut of poly-carbonate has also gone to provide a slot window for another shed.

Metal Model Building - metallmodellbau.de

2011-11-29T12:47:00.000Z

Just incase you had any doubts that the Germans were excellent engineers, here's the Metal Model Building Website.

I stumbled upon this fanstatic site via Achim's Mini-Bonell-II a "sitting room" universal grinding machine and thanks to the wonders of Google Translate managed to read how it was made. The article has detailed 3D cad models and discusses the design decisions for the project, some of the tooling needed and choice of materials.

There are some excellent features to this design. The dials have verneer scales to allow for accurate positioning of the angles and a toothed belt is used to cotrol the horizontal position.

There are a wide range of other articles on the site such as a toolpost milling spidle, a small IC engine, making a cutter for cutting gear wheels and one of my favourites, some enhacements to a cheap drill press entitiled "Pimp the chinese drill"

Update: Here's a link to another Bonelle grinder

It all works with Magic Smoke

2011-11-25T12:00:00.000Z

I was reading the story of a chap who left his grinder on the bench whilst welding. He commented that he'd "let the magic smoke out" and hence it was now not working. The issue was that the HF from the welder had passed through the grounded metal parts of the grinder and up the mains cable to earth melting the cabling in the process.

I once let the smoke out of my grinder when vents rapidly became blocked when trying to cut through some concrete, the grinder overheated within a few seconds and I was too late to spot it.

I do like that phrase "let the magic smoke out" so I checked the history of it. It seems to be relatively recent and is accredited to Jay Maynard who was working with some electronics.

"Once, while hacking on a dedicated Z80 system, I was testing code by blowing EPROMs and plugging them in the system, then seeing what happened. One time, I plugged one in backwards. I only discovered that *after* I realized that Intel didn't put power-on lights under the quartz windows on the tops of their EPROMs -- the die was glowing white-hot. Amazingly, the EPROM worked fine after I erased it, filled it full of zeros, then erased it again. For all I know, it's still in service. Of course, this is because the magic smoke didn't get let out."

There is a rather dated theory that the magic smoke theory could be based on called the phlogiston theory which looks at the products of combustion. The idea is that because things are lighter when they burn then something must have been removed, this is the phlogism.

Model Engineering Exhibition 2011 at Sandown Park

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000Z

Just a reminder of the model engineering exhibition over at Sandown Park is next month and is celebrating it's 104th Birthday.

Show Times
Friday, 9th Dec 10.00am - 5.00pm (Last admission: 4.00pm)
Saturday, 10th Dec 10.00am - 5.00pm (Last admission: 4.00pm)
Sunday, 11th Dec 10.00am - 4.00pm (Last admission: 3.00pm)

How to find the venue

As well as the usual trade stands, clubs and competition there will be a selection of loan models on show:

Doubled-Up Version Of Eric Whittle's V8 Engine - Mick Knight
Inverted Triple Waterworks Engine in three-quarter inch scale - Neil Carney
Single Cylinder Beam Engine in three-quarter inch scale - Neil Carney
Memories of Yesteryear A Harbour Diorama - Ray McMahon

Also a selection of home made tools and accessories:

Taper Turning Attachment For Myford Super 7 Lathe - Ken Willson
Stepless Anvil For Screwcutting - Ken Willson

And Locomotives:

Darjeeling Himalayan Locomotive - Ray McMahon
GWR locomotive Pansy designed by LBSC - Ray McMahon
Gas Turbine Locomotive - Ray McMahon
GWR 5 inch gauge Passenger Coach - Ray McMahon

Don't forget that if you have a special purchase to make it is worth contacting the supplier in advance to ensure that they will have an item at the show.

Also it's worth checking the latest copies of Model Engineer and Model Engineer's Workshop as the latest editions have free sunday tickets.

Ironwork of St James, Mayfair and Piccadilly

2011-11-18T12:00:00.000Z

Whilst wandering the streets of London, I tend to notice the large variety of metal work on the buildings and surrounds. Here are a few images taken this week of the fantastic ironwork around St James, Mayfair and Piccadilly. There seems to be a strong art deco influence, some with a Celtic flair along with some more Victorian designs.

Amazing Meccano Crane

2011-11-14T12:00:00.000Z

Thanks to the MIG Welding forum, I've found out that Marc Van Goozen from the Netherlands has built this amazing operational 1/8 scale model Liebherr crane. The crane is build from mechano parts augmented with a specialist components such as bearings, electronics and electric motors. It contains approximately 15,000 incl. nuts and bolts and took approx. 2800 hours to construct. The model's weight is about 50 kg/110 pounds in total. Marc would prefer not to say how much it cost but commented that more and more packages of parts were delivered to him as the project progressed.

Marc has kindly let me reproduce his pictures and has provided a lot of detail of how the crane was made. As you can see below the chassis is very solid, this is necessary as the crane can lift the same amount as the real crane (well to scale anyway). Marc has tested it lifting a 20kg lathe.

One of the reasons it can lift so much weight is, like the full sized crane it has operational out-rigger legs. These were one of the custom made items, made from aluminium and steel tube. To protect the table, the pads have foam backing.

The boom extension is constructed from girders and strips and is chain driven to avoid the problems of stretching associated with cables. This also makes assembly and servicing easier.

The slewing bearing is a standard industry part and it sits on the chassis with an adapter ring. The slewing gear pinion is driven by a gearbox motor. Some of the gears are standard sizes but some had to be specially laser cut as Meccano themselves never made such parts.

Not all of the crane is purely functional, Marc wanted some decorative parts too. The drivers cab is fitted out with a chair, opening window and side mirrors. Even details like steps and exhausts have been added.

The control of the system is via a joystick and switches, no computer is needed but as the motors are controlled with relays it should be possible to interface it. There are 13 motors, 8 on the undercarriage, and 5 on the superstructure. The lifting ram has a 24v motor and gearbox. So that the DC motors do not slip when the crane is at a standstill, the motor terminals are shorted out. This effectively acts as an electronic brake.

See the crane in action:

You can read more about the crane and find details of it's load factors etc over at the MIG Welding forum. You can also see more pictures of the crane at Marc's Meccano Gallery. Thanks again to Marc for sharing this project with us.

All pictures copyright Marc Van Goozen.

Wire Strippers

2011-11-11T12:00:00.000Z

This month the UKToolCentre asked me to write them an article for their blog. Given they were a tool company I got thinking about what tools I had and if I had a favourite. After a bit of a think I concluded that I did not have a favorite as every tool does a different job but I did have some tools that I'd had for a very long time.

The tools I've had the longest are those for working with electronics, so I've got a 25 year old pair of pliers and an equally old set of wire cutters. I did have a soldering iron at a young age too but that eventually had to be replaced.

You can read the rest of my thoughts on wirestrippers over at the UkToolCentre blog.

Rival Model Engineering Magazines and Events

2011-11-04T12:00:00.003Z

I'm a subscriber to "Model Engineers Workshop" a UK magazine that details projects for building tools and accessories for model engineering. In the latest edition there's a free ticket for the Model Engineer Exhibition over at Sandown Park Racecourse on 9, 10 and 11 December 2011.

I also occationally read Model Engineer and Engineering in Miniature. In the November Engineering in Miniature there are a couple of interesting comments. The first is that their rival show at Alexandra Palace in January will have a model competition which is one of the differences in the shows I pointed out last year. The other comment was from the magazine editor in that there will be more workshop projects articles in the magazine in future, for example the next edition is to include TIG Welding and a Spark Eroding machine. Obviously they are trying to lure readers over from MEW. I won't be cancelling my subscription just yet but some competition is between the magazines and exhibitions hopefully will keep both at a high quality.

More shed roof project

2011-11-02T12:00:00.001Z

As mentioned in the earlier post, I used to have some corrugated PVC on my shed roof and although it let in lots of light it also also let any heat out and then baked in the summer. There were also a selection of leaks. So I needed to replace the shed roof.

I was important that I still had the light but I also wanted to have better thermal insulation and keep the budget from skyrocketting. My other constraint was that I did not want to loose any roof height with the new roof. Again to control costs, I needed to be able assemble the roof myself so that restricted me with regards to large or specialist materials.

The solution was a three layered design like an icecream sandwich. The inner later was to be tongue and groove cladding, the middle a wooden framework containing insulation and the top which was a sheet of OSB. The whole thing was then topped with roof felt. On the south side I incorporated a sheet of polycarbonate to act as a window.

The first layer of cladding was simple to add, being simply nailed in place. Luckly my helper spotted that the roof was not square and we compensated for this by adjusting the spacing of one end of the planks so that the top plank lined up nicely with the roof ridge.

The middle was built as a frame on the grass. Although the shed looks rectangular from the front, it has a corner missing where the cupboards have been added on one side. This made the first frame tricky to build.

The roof was also not flat so long screws were used to bend the frame into place. Extra bracing was added to stop the wood from cracking. We used drywall screws as they are coated to avoid corrosion, thin and self pilotting. However on some of the older timbers we did drill pilot holes as the wood had hardened.
This was then filled with insulation and a sheet of OSB was screwed to the top.
The water proofing was provided in the form of 2 layers of felt. The first was an underfelt which does not have stone chippings on it. The top later was a traditional cap sheet which had some nice green stone on it to protect the bitumen layer underneath. I had origionally thought about using a bitumen mastic to glue the felt in place but we decided to nail the felt down using clout nails.
The two of us assembled this half of the roof in a day. This was made easier by the fact we could access the roof from ladders inside the shed. In the final part I'll tell you about how the window was fitted.
Thanks again to Alan from 2020 media for his help and his acrobatic skills hanging upside down nailing in the felt.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-23T12:00:00.000+01:00

Axminster and Makita have got together and are offering a special Pink Makita 10.8v Lion rechargable drill driver.

These limited edition drills come with a carry case, selection of drill bits and a charger. The drill can generate 24Nm of torque which can be controlled in 14 steps so is good for driving screws into different materials. The maximum recommended drill size for wood is 21mm and 10mm for steel. There are 2 speed settings 0-350rpm and 0-1,330rpm. The whole drill weighs in at just 1Kg.

£10 is donated to Breast Cancer Care® for each drill sold, Makita and Axminster will donate £5 each to the charity.

Felting a shed roof

2011-10-07T00:00:00.000+01:00

As part of my roof upgrade I've been putting felt on the roof. I used two layers of felt, the underfelt does not have the stone chippings on it that protect the felt from the effects of the sun. I've still got to finish off some of the edges, particularly around the window where mastic will be needed as well as clout nails. I've put some planks on there for the time being to stop the wind blowing the felt off.

There seems to be some disagreement with regards the facia boards, are they just cosmetic or do they help signficantly with holding the felt in place?

Here's a handy video from B&Q on how to do it.

Shed Roof Project

2011-10-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

When I inherited the Workshopshed I was impressed by the clear plastic roof and how much light it gave. However as the first winter hit I spotted that it provided no thermal insulation at all and also had some issues with leaking which I attempted to patch up. In the summer the opposite problem occurred at the workshopshed became unbearably hot.

The corrugated PVC had become discoloured in the sun and when I removed some of it from the side I also discovered that the UV had made it really brittle.

So it obviously had to be replaced so I thought about how it could be done. I looked multiwall polycarbonate sheets and these seemed to have better thermal properties than the old PVC. However when I costed out replacing the whole roof with that material it was quite expensive. So I then looked at replacing the roof with wood and insulation with a traditional roofing felt and a smaller pannel of polycarbonate.

Over the last 4 days I've stripped off the old roof and with some help replaced it with a new one.

There's still work to be done to seal around the window and tidy up some of the edges of the felt but you can see the results below. There will be a more detailed post in the near future with how the build progressed.

Floating Fountain

2011-09-28T17:58:00.001+01:00

Whilst wandering around London at lunchtime I came across this rather interesting water feature. The whole fountain is suspended about 30cm above the ground level so that it allows the trees to grow underneath. I've not visited this at night but I would not be surprised if there was lighting under there too.

Has anything changed since 1906?

2011-09-25T18:55:00.002+01:00

Over on Bench Crafted Jameel suggested that the 18th Century answered pretty much everything you need to know about woodworking so why try to improve of that. My thought was that a lot of that also applies to the world of metal work. I've a copy of a 1940s series called "Engineering Workshop Practice" by Arthur Judge that pretty much covers most things I'm likely to do in the workshop.

I thought I'd have a check and see if there was anything older.

Having a look over on Camden Miniature Steam Services, I noted the following books:

Things That Are Usually Wrong -The Machine Shop Wisdom of Professor John Sweet -1906
Metalworking - Hasluck - 1907
A Treatise on Gear Wheels - George Grant - 1907
Milling Machine Kinks - Colvin Stanley - 1908
Copper Work - Augustus Rose - 1908
Engraving Metals - Paul Hasluck - 1912
Railroad Shop Practice - tools and methods - Frank Stanley - 1921
Elements of Machine Work - Robert Smith - 1919
Advanced Machine Work - Robert Smith - 1925
Handbook for Drillers - 1925

Sticky Stuff

2011-09-21T12:00:00.002+01:00

The other evening I attended a talk arrange by the IET on Adhesives. The presenter was Edwin Eve of 3M and as well as giving us an overview of all the different products and brands that 3M are involved in he also looked at some of the industrial, construction and automotive uses of some of their products. Edwin explained in detail about the VHB™ tape and we played with some bonded items, it's an interesting material.

For me one of the most interesting points was the deciding factors that determine which adhesive to select.

Things to consider:

Materials to bond and their properties, e.g. are they attacked by particular solvents?
Physical conditions such as bond strength, vibration, flexibility
Environmental conditions such as temperature changes, indoor/outdoor, water proof?
Assembly criteria, do the parts mate or is there a gap? how fast does it need to set?

If you have specific needs then you can use the adhesive and tape product selector on the 3M site but bear in mind that many of the products may not be available in your local DIY store.

I also found the fun site "This to That" glue advice site which has a simple menu to select glues based on the materials to join. It also has glue news and links to other interesting adhesive based sites.

Sam's Welding

2011-09-13T12:00:00.001+01:00

I stumbled upon Sam's Welding when a friend on twitter posted a message telling me to have a look at their excellent work. I had a look and got in touch to find out a bit more. Sam's Welding is run by Sam and Melanie in Kingston, Washington USA. Melanie took some time out of their busy schedule to talk to me.

Workshopshed: Thanks agreeing to tell me about your Etsy shop and creations. How did Sam's Welding first come about?

Melanie: Sam's Welding has been our business since 1987. Sam has welded and fabricated for over 30 years. We are always building or creating things and people kept telling us we should open an Etsy shop! So we did last Sept.9, 2010 (it's been one year today! ) In the beginning, we only listed items that we made, either from the blacksmith shop or woodworking shop. We try to use many natural materials, either off of our land or remnants of materials from previous jobs. Every once in awhile we run into supplies like our railroad spikes for instance and also some fun vintage farm finds!

Workshopshed: I notice on your Etsy page there many found items, how do you decided what to include?

Melanie: Both Sam and I enjoyed growing up in rural areas and we were both fortunate enough to remember using a lot of the old items that we have come across and now sell in our Etsy shop. As with most of the items we "create" we like functional art, so when we find old farm or ranch items that were part of daily life those are the items we like to include in our inventory.

Workshopshed: Do they take a lot of effort to prepare?

Melanie: When coming across vintage items there is a lot of cleaning involved at times to prepare them to sell. Sometimes there are many years of use on them and a person doesn't want to ruin the antique appeal by scrubbing too much! The natural patina of age is what makes so many objects attractive and desirable!

Workshopshed: Do you both do you both contribute found and created items?

Melanie: Sam makes all of our steel and wood working items, at times it is my idea (Mel's idea) to "try" this or "that", which Sam is great about helping my visions come into reality. I enjoy working with slate, graphite rocks and creating jewelry or jewelry making supplies. There are times that I work on the finishing of the forged or wooden items and times Sam helps me drill my rocks or slate projects! It is mostly a team effort here at our shop. Our children have been a part of creating also. Our true love is making and creating things to use. We do share an equal amount of respect and desire to share vintage items from the past with people. Sam has actually built many of the tools that he uses in his blacksmith and woodworking shops. Things like blacksmith tongs and chisels and lathe tools.

Workshopshed: Yes, I've seen many of those items on your flikr and facebook pages, along with a rather large Bremerton Police Dept badge, what's the story behind that?

Melanie: As far as the Bremerton Police Badge, one of the local glass makers here in Kingston got the bid to make it for the department. Sam was chosen to do the steel work (backing and frame) for the glass worker to finish it. It is an honor to see Sam's work in Bremerton, it is a town that is being completely renovated. Here in our hometown of Kingston, WA Sam has been fortunate enough to build many items. He has made quite a few sign posts, all of the steel hanging baskets that hold flowers all over our town, mailboxes and mailbox holders, and many hand forged beautiful gates and fences. His work can be seen all over town. In his 30 years he has made woodstoves, hitches, boat dollies that are up in Alaska, too many trailers to count and lots of tractor and equipment repairs. It has just been in the last decade that he has been enjoying the art of ironwork and wood-turning.

Workshopshed: Wrought iron work looks fairly straight forward to do but I expect it takes a lifetime to learn?

Melanie: Sam has enjoyed learning more about the blacksmith trade in the last decade or so. One of his favorite things to do is take railroad spikes and make them into knives, ladles, spoons, forks, letter openers and hooks to use for hanging items.

Workshopshed: I see the railroad spikes in several of your designs, what is a railroad spike, where do the spikes come from?

Melanie: A rail spike is also known as a cut spike or crampon, it is a large nail with an offset head that is used to secure rails and base plates to railroad ties, which are the wooden pieces under a railroad track. They have been used since at least 1832 here in the USA. The RR spikes are made of different carbon steel contents, sometimes copper used to be added to them. If a spike head is stamped with a "C" it would mean that it has a copper content. Although the carbon content differs in the spikes they make some fun knives for basic use, but they are not like the high tempered knives that you normally would find. Each piece that is forged by Sam is truly unique and we have sold his spike creations all over the world. They have been enjoyed as gifts and by people who have worked in the railroad systems, each one is part of the past and can be enjoyed in a new way into the future! The spikes that we have been using are from a railroad that was taken out when a new ferry system moved onto the land many many years ago here in Washington State.

Workshopshed: I believe we use a different system over here in the UK and of course there are not quite so many miles of track. Melanie and Sam, thanks again for telling us more about your amazing shop and creations, I look forward to seeing more of them in the future.

Melanie: I sure wish our shop was more full at this time...we will be adding more ironwork, when we can get to it!...

All images are copyright SamsWelding

Additional reference for railroad spikes

Latest from the Salvager

2011-09-08T16:37:00.002+01:00

The September edition of the Salvager Magazine is now available to read online.

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2011